I've purposely left Catch-22 off my list until now because I knew it is one of my dad's very favorite books. If you've never read it, you owe it to yourself to pick it up. Funny and alarming at the same time, this satire targets the madness of war, bureaucracy, politics, and mass hysteria.

It's dark and heavy thematically, but genuinely brilliant and cleverly farcical. It caused a stir when it was released and was both praised as one of the greatest books ever written and condemned for its negative views.

This book is always included on numerous best book ever lists, usually in the top twenty, so I think it's stood the test of time, outlasting all detractors. If you are a fan of Dr. Strangelove, this is certainly the book for you.

1965 was a turbulent year. As the first American soldiers were sent into Vietnam, civil rights demonstrators were violently clashing with troops and police in the south, Dylan shocked his fans by “going electric” and released Highway 61 Revisited, his first album with a full rock band backing him.

I love this one for its bluesy sound and the usual fascinating story telling; perhaps the most famous song , the acid-tongued “Like a Rolling Stone” (which is used to great effect in the brilliant Scorsese short, Life Lessons from New York Stories) was an inspiration to a young Bruce Springsteen, Frank Zappa and my then 16! year old dad.

I personally love “Ballad of a Thin Man” another acid tongued jab, this time at the reporters (specifically perhaps Jeffrey Jones from the Village Voice or Max Jones of Melody Maker magazine) whom Dylan felt nothing but disdain for.

I guess over all this is a contemptuous album, pretty much everybody's head is on the chopping block as Dylan wields literary references as his blade. It's also one of the best albums in rock and roll history.

I can't imagine that I'll ever befriend someone who does not like The Big Lebowski. Subsequently, I can't imagine anyone I'm friends with not getting on board for the stylings of the Dude. Nearly every line of this movie is quotable:.

The dude abides…

You aren't privy to the new shit…

That rug really brought the room together…

Racially he's pretty cool?…

She's not my special lady, she's my fucking lady friend…

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man…

You brought the fuckin' Pomeranian bowling?…

Does this place look like I'm fucking married? The toilet seat's up, man!…

That and a pair of testicles…

In the parlance of our times…

El Duderino, if you're not into the whole brevity thing…

My papers, business papers…

I do mind, the Dude minds. This will not stand, ya know, this aggression will not stand, man….

Mr. Treehorn treats objects like women, man…

Your money is being held by a kid named Larry Sellers. Real fucking brat, but I'm sure your goons can get it off him. I mean, he's fifteen. Flunking social studies….

The Royal “we”! You know, the editorial…

And it just goes on. Who can't love a man who pays for half and half with a check? This is the work Bridges will be known for forever. And the dude looks a bit like my dad, and that's all right by him.

My parents introduced me to all sorts of foods growing up. On a trip to New York, the chef came out to see the two little preschool age girls chowing down on his escargot, in Colorado we ventured into the first sushi restaurant the city had ever seen and dove into octopus and eel, and when we visited family in California mom and dad introduced me and my bottomless stomach to a Pinks chili dog.

“See how the grease seeps into all five layers of packaging?' my dad asked, “That's how you know it's a good Pink's chili dog”. My parents frequented this 67 year old corner shop when they were living as young lovers do in LA in an apartment building with a moat and Steppenwolf as their neighbors who, I'm sure, also indulged in Pinks during their non-stop jam sessions.

Plenty of other famous people enjoy their Pink's too. A landmark of fast, gut busting food and cheesy, 50s architecture, it's a must for visitors to Los Angeles.

…However, we all did the martini-loving gene, except maybe my little brother (black sheep). Fortunately for my parents, the 15 C Club in Colorado Springs opened recently, providing them a great spot to enjoy a well mixed version. Dad favors a lime drop while mom always goes for dirty gin.

Maybe with some good whiskey, a dinner out, or, if you have to go the tie route, go with a spiffy little number from Sovereign Beck. I would say what I'm getting him, but it would ruin the surprise. It came from here though.

Pink Tentacle is a blog about mostly Japanese technology, art and culture. Like brain scanning walkmans, bras that double as grocery bags, and panda suits. These animated music videos are worth a look. These illustrations by Kurimoto Tanshuu are my dad's favorite though.

My dad's also a huge fan of google maps, and really, who couldn't be? When the satellite feature was made public, I could hardly tear myself away from my computer screen. To be able to see all the places I've lived, all the places I have visited, all the places my friends have lived and visited, all the places i'll never live and never visit… It's a bit overwhelming and to some people it's a bit scary to have such a god's eye view of the world, but we find it fascinating. and just when you thought google couldn't get any cooler, they now have a feature that let's you see the actual street in 3d!!! Not every block is available, but it's pretty fun and wild all the same.

This is quite a hit at Christmas parties and school functions, when my dad tends to pull it out of his bag of tricks. One of his classics:

Mickey and Minnie mouse are in court getting a divorce.

The judge asks: “Mr Mouse, do really expect the court to grant you a divorce on the grounds that your wife is crazy?”

Mickey says: “Your honor, I never said she was crazy. I said she was fucking Goofy!”

Dad is also a huge fan of Leeeroy Jenkins, which I've already recommended it. Here, watch it if you missed it the first time or just want to see it again.